Lots critize the fed but imagine what the US congress would do if they controlled the dollar printing. Sociliazed healthcare financed by open market operations..
I'd leave this great country if congress got control of the money supply. Any knucklehead can get elected to congress...at least the Fed governors understand economics and the banking system (even if they are less than perfect in their decisions).
Is this a serious question? I can't think of many things that would kill this country faster than Frank, Pelosi and Reid controlling the spigot.
I'm amazed there are people that have this line of thinking. Has the Fed even ONCE curbed the US govenment's borrowing capacity? NO. So how would it be any different if the US government printed money? Only difference would be that no interest would have to be paid on the currency.
Can we have a mix of both? The government control the money supply, freeing the taxpayer from the back-breaking debt and in turn they can appoint their men with the relevant expertise. Throw in a fully transparent, open to public view, set of books and I'd be very happy.
The Fed is the fourth (and most powerful) branch of the US government, especially since there is no balance of checks. Thank god it actually is a meritocracy.